Tuesdays, 5:30 – 7:20 pm (PT) • 6 weeks • April 8 – May 13
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The Grateful Dead redefined live music through their unique blend of original songs, reimagined covers, and collective, simultaneous improvisation. Their innovative approach has influenced countless musicians, spawned legions of fans from Steve Jobs to John Mayer, and remains a model for creative collaboration in music and beyond. This course offers a comprehensive exploration of their distinctive musical style—where individual contributions converge into a cohesive sound that creates “gestalt magic.”
Each session will feature guided listening to five or six select pieces from every phase of the band’s career, complemented by insights from composers and musicians who studied and/or collaborated with the band. Students will examine the technical intricacies of the Dead's improvisation and discover how their style has inspired generations. Whether you're a lifelong Deadhead or new to their music, this course provides a valuable opportunity to appreciate the Grateful Dead's enduring impact on modern music and culture.
Each session will feature guided listening to five or six select pieces from every phase of the band’s career, complemented by insights from composers and musicians who studied and/or collaborated with the band. Students will examine the technical intricacies of the Dead's improvisation and discover how their style has inspired generations. Whether you're a lifelong Deadhead or new to their music, this course provides a valuable opportunity to appreciate the Grateful Dead's enduring impact on modern music and culture.
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Course Instructor
David GansProducer and Host, Grateful Dead Hour
David Gans has been curating Grateful Dead music on the radio since 1985 as the producer and host of the nationally syndicated Grateful Dead Hour. Since 2008, he has been a co-host of Tales from the Golden Road, a two-hour weekly talk show on SiriusXM’s Grateful Dead Channel. Gans is the author of five books about the Grateful Dead. He has also produced several boxed sets and compilation albums of Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia music.
Photo Credit: Jay Blakesberg
Guest Speakers
Rob Barraco, Keyboardist and Vocalist
Rob Barraco is known for his work with various bands, including the Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra. With a background in jazz and classical music, he has also collaborated with notable musicians such as Phil Lesh and Bob Weir. Barraco is recognized for his improvisational skills and contributions to the jam band scene.
Shaugn O'Donnell, Guitarist and Musicologist
Shaugn O'Donnell is a guitarist and analytical musicologist, currently serving as deputy dean of the Division of Humanities and the Arts at the City College of New York, CUNY. His research interests include post-tonal theory, formal analysis, and rock music, particularly improvisation and psychedelia. With more than a dozen academic papers on the music of the Grateful Dead, the band’s catalog is central to his musical and analytical thinking.
Jeff Mattson, Guitarist and Vocalist
Jeff Mattson is best known for his work with the Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra. He has also performed with Bob Weir’s RatDog and Dead & Company. Mattson's guitar work and vocal stylings are celebrated for their ability to evoke the sound of the Grateful Dead while bringing a fresh perspective to the music.
Gary Lambert, Co-Host of SiriusXM’s Tales from the Golden Road and nugs.net’s Dead Air
Gary Lambert is the former editor of The Grateful Dead Almanac. With a deep passion for the Grateful Dead's music and culture, Lambert offers insights into the band’s legacy and has become a trusted voice within the Dead community.
Bob Bralove, Keyboardist and Producer
Bob Bralove played with the Grateful Dead from 1987–1995, contributing to the band’s sound with his innovative use of technology. He has also worked with a variety of other artists and has been involved in numerous projects that explore the intersection of music and technology.
Giancarlo Aquilanti, Composer, Musician, and Educator
Giancarlo Aquilanti is known for his involvement in the improvisational music scene. His work often bridges genres, drawing inspiration from jazz, rock, and world music. Aquilanti has a deep appreciation for the Grateful Dead's music and its influence on contemporary musicians, often incorporating elements of their improvisational style into his performances and compositions. He is the director of music theory and a senior lecturer in the Department of Music at Stanford.
Rob Barraco is known for his work with various bands, including the Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra. With a background in jazz and classical music, he has also collaborated with notable musicians such as Phil Lesh and Bob Weir. Barraco is recognized for his improvisational skills and contributions to the jam band scene.
Shaugn O'Donnell, Guitarist and Musicologist
Shaugn O'Donnell is a guitarist and analytical musicologist, currently serving as deputy dean of the Division of Humanities and the Arts at the City College of New York, CUNY. His research interests include post-tonal theory, formal analysis, and rock music, particularly improvisation and psychedelia. With more than a dozen academic papers on the music of the Grateful Dead, the band’s catalog is central to his musical and analytical thinking.
Jeff Mattson, Guitarist and Vocalist
Jeff Mattson is best known for his work with the Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra. He has also performed with Bob Weir’s RatDog and Dead & Company. Mattson's guitar work and vocal stylings are celebrated for their ability to evoke the sound of the Grateful Dead while bringing a fresh perspective to the music.
Gary Lambert, Co-Host of SiriusXM’s Tales from the Golden Road and nugs.net’s Dead Air
Gary Lambert is the former editor of The Grateful Dead Almanac. With a deep passion for the Grateful Dead's music and culture, Lambert offers insights into the band’s legacy and has become a trusted voice within the Dead community.
Bob Bralove, Keyboardist and Producer
Bob Bralove played with the Grateful Dead from 1987–1995, contributing to the band’s sound with his innovative use of technology. He has also worked with a variety of other artists and has been involved in numerous projects that explore the intersection of music and technology.
Giancarlo Aquilanti, Composer, Musician, and Educator
Giancarlo Aquilanti is known for his involvement in the improvisational music scene. His work often bridges genres, drawing inspiration from jazz, rock, and world music. Aquilanti has a deep appreciation for the Grateful Dead's music and its influence on contemporary musicians, often incorporating elements of their improvisational style into his performances and compositions. He is the director of music theory and a senior lecturer in the Department of Music at Stanford.